The Two Rivers Giving Circle is one of the few local sources of grants for Eastern Panhandle nonprofit groups that are engaged in historic preservation and natural resource conservation.
Our members come from Jefferson, Berkeley, and Morgan counties, and we confine our grantmaking to those counties. The Two Rivers Giving Circle will consider grants for:
- Safeguarding Habitat: Protection of habitat is critical to the preservation of biodiversity. Focus is placed on buffer zones, wildlife areas, watersheds, and functioning ecosystems.
- Children and Nature: Education and involvement of the next generation are extremely important. Programs that address youth activism, knowledge, hands-on activity, and physical movement.
- Saving Panhandle Treasures: We all have a deep care for our countryside and heritage. Initiatives that provide increased protection of historic, cultural, and pastoral places in the Panhandle.
- Waste and Recycling: Efforts that catalyze underserved recycling efforts, promote effective household waste treatment, and deter non-point source pollution in the Panhandle.
- Energy Conservation: Initiatives that promote increased energy conservation and decreased consumption behaviors in our Panhandle community.
- Growing the Movement: Programs that engage, organize, and empower new constituencies who add to the advancement of programs through volunteerism and leadership that lead to new ways of thinking and acting.
The funds for our grants come from the annual contributions of Giving Circle members and donations from friends, which are all pooled together.
Those who choose to become members don’t just contribute: they also take a hands-on approach to the Circle’s grantmaking, helping to solicit and review grant proposals and to decide which proposals will be funded. This is a great way to become more involved in the community and to learn more about the process of philanthropy.
Whether you choose to be a member or a donor, participation in the Two Rivers Giving Circle is a meaningful and rewarding way to give back to our community. We hope you will consider joining or donating so we can expand the Circle’s efforts and all do more together.
Application Deadlines, Reviews, and Reports
Applications are now CLOSED. Two Rivers Giving Circle representatives may contact applicants for a phone or face-to-face interview and site visit. Grants will be announced by November 1.
Grant Size, Payment, and Final Reporting
In general, grants range from $1,000 to $2,500 and are generally awarded up front. A final report, including outcomes of the funded program, and a summary of your grant expenses must be submitted by August 31 of the year following receipt of the grant. All grantees will be asked to attend a Zoom meeting to update members of the Two Rivers Giving Circle shortly after final reports are submitted. Under unusual circumstances, the Community Foundation may consider an extension.